Go Gauge issues

aratliff

aratliff

Hammer Time Executive member
Y’all sanity check me here, please. I’ll try to be pithy.

A week ago brown truck delivered a 30-06AI barrel from PBB. It is my latest FAFO project. Was busy, then left to go on a trip with my boy. We returned this afternoon, so I set up the barrel vice and torqued it on to action.

30-06AI go gauge closed. But then so did the regular 30-06 go gauge, which serves as the no go gauge for Ackley chambers.

Cursed the chamberer for a minute, then it occurred to me I have a micrometer and comparators. (Got up early for a long flight home, so yes, I am slow. Which is also why I am wanting a sanity check).

For comparison, my 308/708 gauges measured like this:
AI go: 1.6195
Regulator go: 1.6230
Regular no go: 1.6285

30-06 gauges were:
AI go: 2.0385
Reg go: 2.0375
Reg no go: 2.0415

Fairly confident I have a bad go gauge. Have I lost my marbles?

Plan to run by a local smith Monday to check on another project, let them shoot the Coup de Grâce target rig, and rent their 30-06 go gauge to check before calling the gauge maker and griping. Unless y’all tell me I am an idiot. 😀
 
This tired padawan got some good advice from @BFD last night concerning techniques I had forgotten due to the fatigue.
Going to try those techniques later today to sniff out what is going on. Hoping to shoot it, but want to be assured all is well first.
 
So the 06 std go gauge should be 0.004 longer than the 06AI go gauge. Have you tried to set no go off the go 06 std gauge? Then try the 06AI go?

Guess I'll "go" now. 🤔
 
Yes, Muddy, I used a standard go gauge as the no go. The bolt not only closed, but it would not extract the gauge. That is what got me measuring and I discovered that the standard go gauge was actually .001” shorter instead of .004” longer.

If I am understanding it correctly, since the shoulder angle on the gauge is the same, the same comparator insert should be used. (I am currently using the Hornady set, but have the Ugly Annealing set on order).

Brad reminded me to try tape on the back of the AI go gauge. The bolt did not close on it, so I considered headspace to be correct on the shouldered barrel.

Earlier today, I measured the gauges again. With considerable pressure applied to the micrometer, I was able to get the exact same reading out of both the AI go and the standard go gauge, instead of the standard being .001” shorter (last night’s measurement) or .004” longer (what it ought to be).

Fwiw, they are PT&G gauges. One was from Midway, the other directly from PT&G. I am going to call the latter tomorrow.

Fire formed three before I got assigned supper duty.

IMG_3846.jpeg
 
Update: called PT&G. Spoke to a gentleman and explained the issue. He asked a few questions to confirm he was not talking to an idiot. After he was convinced I am not, he told me to put them in the mail with a note and they would check them out.

So we shall see how this shakes out.
 
Is this a new chamber or a rechamber, sorry in advance if I missed the answer, the fired brass will tell you the chamber dimension, I usually fire them three times for my custom dies to get a good number
 
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New.
Thanks for suggestion. Fwiw, I did measure the fired brass. Chamber might be a frog hair on the large side, but I am now 99.5% confident the chamber is not the issue and the headspace gauge is/was.
Moot point until I remove barrel and reinstall. Call me OCD, but I always check headspace again when re-mating a barrel on a switch rig, which this is.
 
aratliff said:
New.
Thanks for suggestion. Fwiw, I did measure the fired brass. Chamber might be a frog hair on the large side, but I am now 99.5% confident the chamber is not the issue and the headspace gauge is/was.
Moot point until I remove barrel and reinstall. Call me OCD, but I always check headspace again when re-mating a barrel on a switch rig, which this is.
Click to expand...
I have a short 33 Nosler gogauge lol at least it was that direction :LOL:
 
Update for anyone interested, and an old man gripe.

Last week I received an invoice in the inbox from PTG. Zero balance on the invoice, and it indicated I was receiving a replacement 30-06 go gauge and my original 30-06AI go gauge.

They both arrived today. Both work as they should in the 30-06AI chamber. Measuring them both, the replacement 30-06 go gauge measured .004” longer than the AI go gauge. How ‘bout that? (Anyone remember This Week in Baseball?)
So the first one was wrong after all and PTG made it right. That is a good thing.

On to the old man gripe: why am I their QC? And why did I have to pay to ship it back to correct their mistake that I caught?
To be fair, I didn’t ask for the postage to be refunded…but in my conscientious world, I should not have to. That $5 or $6 (because I now track and insure everything!) won’t break the bank. It’s more the principle of matter. I know, I know…how dare I invoke principle? A note or phone all saying mea culpa would have been a nice touch, too.

The boss says I expect too much out of people. Sigh….

Ok. I’m done griping about that.

Now get off my lawn! 🤣

Old man rant off…
 
The gunsmiths who live near where they at business is will not do business with them. And I absolutely would not. I don't understand how he's still in business.
 
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